Weed-exterminator.



E. A. FRANCIS.

WEED EXTERMINATQR. APILIO'ATION FILED Amm, 1909.

944,083, Patented 1590.21, 1909.

WITNESSES INI/EIV'UR W Y Ww Mimmv l W70/MMM Q m Arron/vers UNITED STATES PATENI (MTFICE.

EDGAR ARTHUR FRANCIS, OF IMARSHALLTOWN, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE A. HOWE, OF IVIARSHALLTON, IO\V.A.

WnEnnXTnRMINAToR.

Speclicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2l, 1909.

Application filed April 9, 1909. Seria1 No. 488,833.

To all 'whom it may concern:A l

Be it known that I, Encan A. FRANCIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Marshalltown, in the county of Marshall and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved \Veed-Exterminator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to weed extermina* tors, and more particularly to such as arel adapted to be used to destroy obnoxious weeds and parasites, for instance, thistles, burdocks, dandelions and the like, which have long tap-roots, and each exterminator f the mechanisn'i whereby the liquid is discharged from the body, will not become clogged by dirt as the lower end of the body is forced into the ground'. 4

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings forming a part ol this speciicatiornin which similar characters et'. reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a longitudinal section showing an embodiment of my invention, parts being broken away; Fig. Q is an enlarged cross section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, and on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 is a cross section of a modified form of exterminator, showing an auxiliary sleeve partially enceinpassing the end member of the body.

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of my invention, it should be nnderstood that it is often necessary to destroy weeds, such as thistles, burdocks, dandelions and the like, and the methods commonly employed arc to either cut them with a hoe or other instrument., or to pour some dcstroying acid over them. These methods are very unsatisfactory, inasmuch as the roots of the weeds are' not reached in any way, and besides, the surrounding vegetation is killed by the acid used to destroy the Weeds.

iacent to the roots of the weed, so that the I have therefore provided a device which, as before described, is so constructed that it may be forced into the ground adjacent t0 the roots of a weed, and which is adapted to contain a destroying liquid, the latter being discharged when the device is in the desired position. In this way, the roots of the weed are directly atl'ected, and the weed itself destroyed.

In thespecilic form shown in the drawings, I provide a cylindrical body or casing l, which has one of its extremities '2 tapered, asA shown most clearly in Fig. l of thel drawings. Arranged near the opposite end of the body l. and secured in place by means of rivets 3 or the like, are two retainers el, the latter beingp'rovided with oti'set portions 5, and the iree extremities of the retainers being outwardly and downwardly disposed to constitute linger grips (S. Adapted to lit over the end ot' the body adjacent to the retainers 4 is a cap 7 having'sides of, the latter being provided with a rim t) which, when the cap is in position, is engaged by the otl'- set portions 5 oi the retainers to hold the cap firmly in place. The resiliency ol the retainers allows the cap to be readily removed when it is desired to till the body. Il`hc cap has an opening l() through which projects a rod or plunger ll, the latter having a suitable. head 1; located at its upper end. lVhcn the device is in use, the head 12 is adapted to engage the palm of the operators hand.

Positioned between the head l2 and the cap 7 is-a helical spring lll, which serves to hold the upper end ol" the rod normally projected beyond the body. Located at the opposite end oi the casing' from that which carries the cap T is an end member 14 which tapers toward its lower extremity. 'lhe upper extremity ol this end member is adapted to lit within the .lower extremity of the body, as shown mostl clearly in Fig. l of the drmv'ings. I have also provided a penetrator l5, ot inverted cone shape, and having its base 15 ot greater diameter than the adjacent portion o'l the end member. Integral with the base o'tl thc penetra-dew is a threaded stem 1G which is adapted to removably e11- gagc a similarly threaded portion I7 ol the end member let. lhe end member 14- is further provided with an outlet or opening 18,

stance, with rivets 2O or the like, on the outside ot' the casing and extending down f over the end member 14 and covering the opening 18, is a semi-cylindrical spring member or guard 21. of the resiliency of its character, closes the opening 18 so that when the device is not in use, no liquid may escape through the opening.' Located on the inside oit' the spring guard 21 and preferably integral therewith, is a stud 22 which extends through the opening 18 into the inside of the end member 14E. I have further provided the rod 11 Vith a tip 23, the latter being preferably in the shape of a truncated cone. The tip 23, when the rod is forced down, serves to engage the stud 22 to force the resilient guard 2l away from the opening so that the 'liquid contained within the casing will be discharged.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, I provide a sleeve 24, which encompasses the body 25 of the device'. Located in a cut-away :portion 2G of the sleeve 24 is a spring guard 27, secured to the body 25 in any suitable manner and being provided on its inner face with a stud 28, the latter extending through an opening 29 in the body, so that when the rod 30 is forced down, the stud will be engaged to operate the Spring guard and allow thexeseape of the liquid contained within the device.

In the operation of my extcrminator, the penetrator and end member of the device are forced into the ground adjacent to the roots of the weed that is to be destroyed. The shape of the penetrator, and the fact that the free end of the spring guard lies adjacent to the broad base of the penetrator, obviate the danger of dirt getting under the spring guard and thus clogging the mechanism.

lWhen the device is in position, and it is desired to dischargea certain amount of the destroying liquid that isv contained within the body, pressure is brought to bear on the head 12 of the rod, and in so doing, the lower tip x23 of the rod engages the stud 22, and by forcing this out through the opening 18', nieves the spring guard away from the opening, so that the liquid may easily pass out to destroy the roots of the weed.

It should be understood that I do .not limit myself to rthe particularconstruction shown in the drawings, as others equally advantageous' may be 'employed without departing from the spirit/for' the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new,y and desire to sccureby Letters Patent: i

lil. In a device of the class described, a hollow body/y having an outlet, means for noi mally closing said outlet, and further means The guard, on account ing, and a manually operable rod within the body for actuating said means whereby the liquid within .said body can be discharged.

3. In a device of the classv described, a casing having a passage therethrough, a penetrator removably arranged at one of the ends ot said casing, a cap arrangedover the other end of said casing, means for securing said cap in place, said casing further having an opening adjacent to said penetrator and connecting with said passage, a resilient guard mounted on said casing and normally closing said opening, and means within the body tor operating said guardto allow the discharge ot a liquid from said casing.

4l. In a device ot' the class described, a body having a passage extending therethrough and having its lower end tapered, a penetrator located at the lower end of said body and having a base of larger diameter than the end ot said body, said body being provided uvith an outlet, and a. resilient guard normally closing said outlet and havjing its free end terminating adjacent to' the base ot said penetrator whereby said guard 1s protected.

5. In combination, a body, handles secured.

to said body adjacent one end thereof and having outwardly-extending portions resiliently mounted in respect tolsaid body, and a cap or cover for said body having a tiange terminating adjacent said handles and held in position by the latter.

6. In combination, a body having retainers disposed adjacent oneend thereof,'said retainers having oii'se't portions and -having their tree outwardly--disposed end constituting finger grips, and a cap or closing said body and having a flange encircling said body and terminating in a rim in engagement with the oliset portions ofsaid retainers, to be held in place thereby.

T. In a device ot' the class described, a body having a passage therethrough, an outlet from said pasage at the lower end of said body, a guard normally closing said.

ortions.

los

jacent the lower end of said tapered or conical portion, a penetrator in the form of an inverted cone having its base secured to the lower end of said body adjacent saidoutlet and of greater diameter -than the adjacent portion of the body, and a guard having one end' secured to said body and the other end covering said opening and movable in respect thereto and terminating adjacent the base of said penetrator. V-

9. ln a device of the class described, a hollow body having an outlet adjacent its lower end, a closure formed of resilient material and having one end rigidly secured to said body and having the other end closing said opening, and means within said body and operating through said opening" to force said closure away t'rom said openingand permit the escape of tluid 'troni said body.

l0. In a device ot' the class described, a hollow body having an outlet adjacent its lower end, a closure normally covering1 said outlet and disposed on the outer surface ot the body, and means movable longitudinally of said body and having operative engagement with said closure through said outlet for 'movino the latter and )ermittinov the esi h 2.-*

cape ofiiuid through said outlet.

1l. ln'a device ot the class described, a

body adapted to contain a weed-destroying liquid, a cap arranged over-one end ot said t body, retainer: secured to the side et? said body and serving` to hold said cap removably in place, a tapered end member arranged at the other extremity of said body, a penetrator removablyloeated at the lower cX- tremity of said end member, said end inemberhaving an opening, resilient guard having one end secured to said body and said end member and normally closing said open ing, a stud integral with said guard and extending through said opening nito said end member, and a rod located within said body member and projecting through the cap thereof, the lower end said rod servingto engage said stud, whereby said guard can be moved away from said openingto allow the discharge ot the liquid contained within said body.

l2. ln adevice of the class described, a casing` adapted to contain a weed-destroying liquid, a penetrator located atY one end of' said casing, said casing having an opening, a senil-circular resilient guard having one end secured to said casing' and extending` over said opening normally to close the same, said `L tuard further having a stud adapted to project through said opening into said casing, a rod located within said casing and projecting through the cap, said rod having' its lower end beveled, whereby when said rod is Ytoi-ced down, said beveled end will engage said stud to move said guard away from the opening` to allow the discharge ot" the liquid contained within said body, and means for holding' said rod uornially ont of engagement with said stud.

`lr. device of the class described comprising a hollow body, and a penetrator secured to the end ot the body ot substantially the saine diameter, said body having a reduced portion adjacent. to the penetrator and provided with au opening for the purpose set. forth, resilient means for closing the opening'. and means within tlie body for opening' said closing;l means a't'ter the body is inserted in the ground.

ln testimony' whereof l have signed my naine to this specification iu the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR ARTHUR FRANCIS.

W i tnesses:

SAM OnMniioD, A. l). Cooriiii. 

